Local rivals St. Louis, Sam Houston set to square off

Already off to fast starts, St. Louis and Sam Houston will look to keep the momentum going during the last week of pre-district
play tonight.

First pitch is at 6 p.m. The game was orginally scheduled for Legion Field, but Saints head coach Chad Hebert said the game
may be moved to Sam Houston due to field conditions.

St. Louis (10-3) and is coming off a 2-2 performance at the Teurlings Catholic tournament this weekend. The Saints beat Comeaux
and Salmen and lost to Erath and Teurlings. In the two wins, the Saints scored a total 17 runs but managed only one run in
each of the two losses.

Sam Houston (11-3) also went 2-2 over the weekend, beating Runnels and Zachary and losing to St. Paul’s and Parkview Baptist
at the Zachary tournament.

“The first six-(to)-eight games we were swinging the bat extremely well, had a fallback this weekend but still swung them
pretty good,” said Broncos head coach Brad Book.

Book said he is pleased with how his pitching staff has developed over the early portion of the schedule.

“We were looking for quality arms, guys
to throw strikes, and we have had a number of them step up,” he said.
“Kameron Esthay,
Kelsey Richard, Peyton McLemore, Andrew Bryan and Collin Kober has
been really good for us. We have seen some good pitchers,
which is good. I want to see our hitters challenged.”

Book said he is more concerned with growth than wins at this point in the season.

“I just feel like wins and losses are
not important,” he said. “We have to get better. We are going to have
struggles throughout
the season and will have to overcome them to be the best we can.
Playing a competitive schedule gives us that, gives us those
challenges.”

The Saints will provide another welcome challenge.

“I always enjoy playing St. Louis, when we were in the same district it was a rivalry,” Book said. “Not a nasty rivalry, a
healthy, clean old-fashioned rivalry. It is always a fun game to be a part of. They are well-coached, they play hard, play
with a lot of passion. We know they are going to give us their best effort, I hope we can give them our best effort.”

Hebert said games against opponents the quality of Sam Houston will pay off later in the season.

“They are well-coached and will put in
situations that help prepare you for the playoffs,” he said. “They are
going to give
you a great game. It will make us tougher, put us in pressure
situations. We are a little dinged up right now with two starters
out, but we are going to be alright.”